Vocabulary
nie
/niː/· adverb
never
The bottom of the frequency scale: immer – oft – manchmal – nie.
CEFR A1Frequency ●●●●●
Your memory
New
Learning
Familiar
Strong
Mastered
One word, many lives
Tap a meaning. Real German isn't a dictionary translation.
nie
never
Ich spiele nie Golf.
I never play golf.
Word family
nieniemalsnever (stronger)niemandnobodynie wiedernever again
Common combinations
- fast niehardly ever
- nie wiedernever again
- noch nienever (so far), never before
Similar & opposite
↔ Opposites
immer
Common learner mistakes
- Ich nie spiele Golf.Ich spiele nie Golf.The verb stays in position 2; nie comes after it.
- Ich habe nie keine Zeit.Ich habe nie Zeit.One negation is enough in standard German — nie and kein together cancel each other out.
Real examples
- Ich trinke nie Kaffee am Abend.I never drink coffee in the evening.
- Im Winter schwimme ich nie im See.In winter I never swim in the lake.
- Er hat nie Zeit!He never has time!
